Gloucester.

English city. The history of music in Gloucester is inseparable from that of the cathedral, founded in 1541 to replace the former Benedictine monastery. Few of its organists earlier than the 19th century were of much account, but they include the following minor composers: Daniel Henstridge (1666–73), Daniel Roseingrave (1679–81), William Hine (1713–30) and Barnabas Gunn (1730–39). From the time of S.S. Wesley, who held the position from 1865 until his death in 1876, the organists have been C.H. Lloyd (1876–82), C. Lee Williams (1882–97), Herbert Brewer (1897–1928), Herbert Sumsion (1928–67), John Sanders (1967–94) and David Briggs (from 1994). Thomas Tomkins (i), father of the composer, was a minor canon of the cathedral. William Hayes (1708–77), John Stafford Smith (1750–1836), celebrated as the composer of the tune to The Star-Spangled Banner, and John Clarke-Whitfeld (1770–1836) were natives of the city. Parry's boyhood home was at Highnam Court, a short distance away, while Holst, Vaughan Williams, Ivor Gurney and Howells were born in Gloucestershire, the last-named serving his apprenticeship to Brewer at the cathedral. From 1684 the city was the seat of a bell-founding firm, established by Abraham Rudhall and carried on by his descendants until 1828–35.

When William Laud became Dean of Gloucester in 1616 he found the cathedral organ in an outworn condition, but little improvement was accomplished until 1640 when a new instrument was built by Thomas Dallam. In 1666 this was superseded by another, constructed by Thomas Harris, from which a considerable number of pipes from ten stops have survived through numerous enlargements and reconstructions to form part of the present organ by Hill, Norman & Beard. The organ case unites two independent structures, the larger dating from the 17th century and the smaller (the old chair organ) perhaps from the 16th century.

Concerts were organized in Gloucester in the 18th century by Barnabas Gunn, when there existed a ‘Musick Clubb of Glocester’ which owned a score of John Alcock's Sing we merrily (now GB-Lbl Add.31694). The present leading musical organizations of Gloucester are the Gloucester Choral Society (founded 1845), the Gloucestershire SO (formerly Orchestral Society, 1908), the Gloucester Chamber Music Society (1928) and the Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra, founded in 1960. A junior academy for talented music, drama and dance students opened in 1993. Every three years the Three Choirs Festival is held in Gloucester.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A.H. Brewer: Memories of Choirs and Cloisters (London, 1931)

R. Downes: ‘The Gloucester Cathedral Organ’, MT, cx (1969), 1176–9

WATKINS SHAW/JOHN C. PHILLIPS